Forgiveness Is Tricky
by SoapNanny
Summary: Lulu and Dante are in love, but both face mistakes the other has made, some bigger than others.. Now living with the consequences is the biggest challenge of their lives! Rated M for future chapters :  Mainly Lulu and Dante will a little Johnny and Olivia
1. Chapter 1

Hey Guys! This is just an idea I thought of the other day, let me know what you think! Rated M just in case for future chapters! Read and Review :) Should I keep going?

Ch.1

Lulu's POV

I told myself I wouldn't let this happen again. I told myself over and over again for months that Johnny would be the last person I allowed to stomp on her heart.

After Johnny and I were done for good, I tried to close myself off from guys forever. It was all working for a while, but then HE came into the picture. He was so cute and encredibly cocky, but he made me laugh. He made me feel so good when he was around, I craved it more than anything I'd ever experienced before. I knew that if I let him in and let my heart start to develop feelings for him, I KNEW it would be a giant risk. In the end, I couldn't help it. He was an amazing guy and from the beginning when I liked to pretend we weren't officially dating yet, to where we are right now I'll always know how lucky I was to have him in my life. What I didn't know was how I would feel right now, when he was gone and I was the reason why.

Dante Angelo Falconeri...this was the name I thought would be my husband's name for the rest of my life, but now could that ever come true? He was gone.

After a year and half of us being together and very much in love, one night changed everything. I had just found out about Dante covering up a big crime for his dad's new wife Brenda when he was guarding her four years ago, which was also something he had kept from me for months. I was so angry when all of this came out at Brenda and Sonny's wedding that I couldn't see straight. In hindsight I know it wasn't _really_ Dante's fault because the love of my life has a serious hero complex and really needed to be the one to save people, but this really didn't make me calm down at all. The part I just couldn't get over that night was the fact that he didn't tell me about it. ME...the woman he claimed to love more than anything in the universe. The one he got down on one knee for and asked to be his wife. The one that he would lay in bed intertwined with for hours and discuss our hopes and dreams for the future...the one we would start together.

Sitting here remembering the night it all ended, I can't help but to stare down at my growing belly and smile. I am going to be a mother! With all that is going wrong in my world and with all that I wish was different, this I am certain of: I already love baby and am going to give him or her the best life ever.

_flashback:_

_I was tired of crying and more than tired of pushing the ignore button on her phone. NO! I DON'T want to talk to you Dante! I DON'T want to hear that you are sorry! ALL I want to do is get drunk! _

_I grabbed my keys and was sitting at the bar in less than 5 minutes. With my debit card in hand and nowhere to be all night, I set out to forget everything that was bothering me._

_After being at Jake's for a couple of hours, I saw my ex-boyfriend Johnny sitting at the other side of the bar. _

_"Are you as miserable as I am tonight Johnny?" I asked as I began to slur my words._

_"I don't know Lulu, are you wanting to get wasted and screw the first person you see? Cuz yeah, I'm there." Johnny answered with a smirk on his face._

_"Let's go!" I shouted as I grabbed his hand, lead him to the room in back of the bar and continued to make the biggest mistake of my life without thinking. Without thinking about the man I wished I was really sleeping with. Without thinking of the life I was starting to plan. Without thinking about using protection..._

_End Flashback.._


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

Dante's POV

I should've called her before I left town. I should've stayed and talked it out, I know she's the love of my life but the pain is just too raw right now. As much as I want to be lying in bed with her, telling her how amazing she is even after what happened but I can't. I love her more than anything in this freaking world and I'm walking away from everything we've built. Everything we've already survived! Her almost drowning, her getting strapped to a bomb by that sick freak Franco and not to mention the huge chaotic ordeal when my father shot me.

Lulu was my rock when I found out Sonny was my father. I had no idea what I was gonna do, here I was trying to take him down and I found out he's my father? How does that happen? My ma knew having me was the right thing for her to do, she loved me before she even realized what a life changing decision she was making.

I guess we all have huge decisions to make sometimes, and that as much as we want something to end up a certain way doesn't mean it will. I love Lulu. I want nothing more than to be with her right now, but how do I get over this? She was angry at me, I get that. But sleeping with Johnny? Really? I think it would even be better if she hooked up with a complete stranger that night at jakes, but no... it had to be him.

I do respect her for the way she told me tho, I didn't have to find out by someone outing her in a public place or by overhearing other people talking about them. No, she was completely honest with me. I don't get it tho, because even telling me how she had just ruined our engagement and probably wrecked our entire future, she still looked amazing. Just sitting there in my loft cross legged on the bed she looked like an angel. My angel. I remember feeling so bad for her because she looked so sad. I had no idea what was about to come out of her mouth but I didn't see this one coming.

"Dante, I love you. I love you more than life itself. But..." She started.

"Baby, don't do that. Don't say you love me and then start the next sentence with a but.., what's going on Lu?" I just wanted her to spit it out.

"I slept with Johnny last night..." She kind of mumbled while staring at me.

I think the next few things she said was something to the affect that she was sorry and that she'd do anything I wanted her to, to make it up to me. I don't really know what she said to be honest. From the moment she said she slept with that mobster, my world was in a cloud. I can see her sitting there, her mouth moving a mile a minute and her tears cascading down her beautiful face but I couldn't hear a word.

After she was done telling me what happened and was practically screaming at me that she was sorry, I just simply had to leave. I stood up, pulling her with me. I my put my hands on her face, kissed her softly on her lips and said goodbye to the love of my life.

I had to get out. I couldn't get over what she did to us. I want to get over what she did to us tho. If I can get over it, then maybe we will still have something to salvage. As much as I'm pissed off right now and I'd actually probably like her to have some pain and anguish for a little while, I still want her. I want her so much it's killing me.

I only left town for three hours and eighteen minutes, but Lulu doesn't know that. She thinks I've been gone for two weeks and I want to keep it that way, atleast for right now. I tried to really leave but all I could do was think about her and I figured if I'm thinking about her I might as well be close to her and make sure she's doing what she says she's doing.

I've talked to her twice since I left my own loft that day. The first time she called every twenty minutes for five hours and I finally picked up on the last one.

"What do you want?" I said still pretty pissed.

"Where are you? Are you coming home? PLEASE Dante, please come home? I know I fucked up, I know that but baby I can't live without you. I will just die if I lose you for good, please come home and talk to me!" She was crying by now and all I had said were four words. I didn't know how to make her stop crying, and I knew I couldn't say what she wanted to hear so I just simply told her that I love her, that I'll always love her but I needed some time to process this. She owed me that much and she pretty much agreed, after a few more apologies and tears we hung up.

The second call was a week ago and she was a lot more put together during this one. I was sitting in the dumpy motel room that I'd been renting since sneaking back into town and she simply text messaged me to ask if she could call. There really wasn't a reason why I didn't want to talk to her, so I answered okay and seconds later the phone rang.

This call was alot less emotional, although a lot of the same stuff. She says she's sorry. She says she'd do anything to take it back. She says her and Johnny both know it was a one time thing and they both only want to be friends. My fiance slept with her ex boyfriend and oh yeah, this is a new one...she may be pregnant. Isn't that amazing? It would be amazing if I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this baby was mine, but I don't. I actually feel it in my gut, that if she's pregnant it's not my kid.

How could I do it? Even if I can learn to forgive Lulu and we somehow get back on track. How can I help her raise a baby that I know deep down was created out of a drunken escapade because my fiance was pissed off at me and hooked up with my mother's boyfriend?

All of these questions are why she can't know I'm in town yet. I need to think about all of this and figure out what I want. I do know one thing for sure tho, I can't stay away from Lulu for long. I know she screwed up and right now we don't know how long we'll all be paying for that, but I love her.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much for the reviews! You guys are awesome! Here's the next chapter! Read and Review J

Ch. 3

Lulu's POV

It's been four weeks since I've spoken to Dante and five since he's been gone. I miss him so much, it's almost intolerable. Every night I go to sleep dreaming of him beside me, his strong arms wrapped around me and his hands resting on my belly. My worst fear is that this dream will never come true. How can he stay away for this long? No doubt he knows about the baby because now that Johnny and Olivia are back together, I'm sure she's told Dante that I am indeed pregnant. This is probably why he's stayed gone for this long, he can't deal with the fact that I'm going to have a baby that may or may not be his.

I know in my heart that this baby is his; at least that's what my heart is trying to tell my brain. It doesn't matter that the doctor says I'm six weeks along, and that awful night happens to be six weeks ago. The thing is, I know the fact that I'm pregnant isn't the only reason he's gone. I've betrayed him in the worst possible way. I kept my heart at arm's length for so long because I was afraid to trust HIM and I turn out to be the one that hurts the other one worse.

Johnny has been amazing these past five weeks. He calls to check on me when he notices the days I don't go into the haunted star to help with things, and he sends Olivia over with casseroles to make sure I'm eating. The first time that happened, it sure was weird. I ended up bawling my eyes out the second I saw her because I felt so awful in helping to destroy their relationship too. Come to find out, they were on the outs and after this happened Olivia decided that she couldn't handle not being with Johnny. She accepted Johnny back into her hear and back into her life with all of his faults, including me and the unborn baby that may be his. How strange this must be for her, here I am carrying an amazing little person that might be her grandchild but on the other hand it could turn out to be her stepchild instead. I'm just so glad that Olivia and I are okay after all of this because besides the amazing person she is, her casseroles are delicious!

I'm pretty sure the reason Johnny has been so great these past few weeks is because he feels bad. His relationship is actually better than it ever has been because they missed each other so much, and mine is over. Johnny knows that we'll never be anything but friends and if need be happy co-parents. He knows that even if he wanted anything more with me, my heart will always belong to Dante. Now I just need to prove this to Dante and see if he'd ever forgive me and give us another chance.

I've been really good about not bugging him or texting him and trying to see where he is and when he's coming home but I can't last much longer. I want the love of my life back and I'm not going to give up on him, ever. I know that I probably owe it to him to leave him alone and allow him the chance to find happiness somewhere else, but hell.. I'm Lulu Spencer and nobody tells me what I should or shouldn't do.

This is it, this is the night that I will ask him where he is and if he can find it in his heart to come back to me and at least talk things out.

I grab my cell phone and text "Hey...How are you?" and wait for a reply.

I'm trying to be strong, I really am but sitting here staring at the phone waiting to see if he'll give me the time of day is driving me crazy.

"I'm okay, where are you?" is what I see light up my screen.

What does he mean where am I? Where is he, he's the one that has left and isn't coming back. Wait! Maybe he's back and wants to see me, or maybe he's just checking up and seeing if I'm with Johnny again. Really when someone is gone for five weeks a lot can happen. Oh my gosh, what if he's completely over me and wants to end things permanently...I suddenly can't breathe.

"I'm at home, any chance I can see you soon? I miss you every day, and I'm so sorry about everything...I really am." I know I sound pathetic right now, but I just need to see him. If he wants to break up with me and take the ring back and officially kick me out of our loft that I've been staying in, then he needs to come back and do it in person.

"I think that's a good idea, I need to see you too. We need to talk.." There it is, Dante has confirmed my fears. With one text telling me that he needs to talk, my insides are flipping out and I don't know what direction my life is about to turn. My fiancé that left me physically five weeks ago is about to come back to leave me emotionally for good.

"Dante, I can't handle this. What are you thinking? I don't want to wait anymore, I need to know what's going to happen to us. I love you D, and I can't face the unknown." Okay, now I'm going against everything I've been taught. Don't beg to be loved by anyone, if you have to beg than it's not worth it. The difference is that Dante's love is worth anything and I'm not going to let him get rid of me, without a fight.

"Baby, calm down. It's going to be okay, I miss you too. I'm actually in town and want to come see you. Can I come over?" Duh, what did he think...I'm going to beg to see him and then say no when he wants to come over to the house that's in his name in the first place.

"Please do, I'll be waiting." Oh my gosh, this is really happening. Dante, my Dante is coming home to me. I suddenly realize that if he doesn't know that I'm pregnant, he's about to find out. I may only be six weeks along but this kid must be a giant football player or something because I already have a little belly sticking out, it's crazy.

I sat on the couch for a while just sitting there happy that he was on his way and then I realized how I looked. Holy crap, how could I let him see me like this. I raced into the bathroom, brushed my hair and teeth, shaved my legs real quick and slathered on some makeup. Ran into our bedroom and threw on my favorite Juicy Couture sweat suit with matching socks and returned to the couch and flipped through magazines until I heard the knock.

It feels so weird for him to be knocking at his own door. This wasn't just our place, it was his. He bought it from the landlord six months before I even moved in with him, so why in the world is he knocking.

I open the door and am blown away by how sexy he looks standing in the doorway, with a bunch of flowers in his hand.

"Hey beautiful, these are for you." Dante says to me as he gives me his million dollar grin.

"Dante why are you bringing me flowers? I'm the one that should be begging you to even talk to me! I've ruined everything and now here you are at the door being all handsome and perfect with a dozen roses in your hand!" I'm just rambling by now. Not that I don't love that he brought flowers but I don't deserve them.

"Lulu, stop! If you want to talk about this and see what can or can't happen, then stop blaming yourself and let's just see what happens. I love you baby and we're gonna figure this out," He says this as he puts the flowers on the table and grabs my hands. We stare at each other for the longest time and then I can't help myself.

I lean in and kiss him half expecting him to pull away or stop me, but he doesn't. We share the sweetest kiss we've ever had, and just completely enjoy having our lips connected again after so long.

After what seemed to be forever, I stepped back and smiled. Pulling him with me, I go to the couch and sit down. We have a lot to talk about and I still fear that he won't accept our new reality, but for the first time in a while I feel like everything's going to work out.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you sooo much for all the reviews and comments ladies! You guys rock!

Ch. 4

Dante's POV

I'm sitting on the couch with Lulu, our hands threaded together with so much force it's like we're holding on for dear life. I wasn't sure what to say to her because let's face it; I don't really know what I'm thinking at this point. All I know for sure is that I love her and we're going to be together. How we'll deal with her cheating on me with Johnny and the fact that she's now carrying either mine or Johnny's child, I have no idea what we'll have to do it get through it but I know for sure that we will.

As I rub my thumb over her hand I feel the rock I once placed on her finger. "You're still wearing your ring?" I don't really know what I was surprised, she always loved that ring.

"Of course I kept it on Dante, If I took it off it would be like I was giving up on you, on us... and I just couldn't do that." She answered with tears in her eyes.

"Lulu, I have to be honest with you. I love you more than anything and I really DO want this to work out, but I'm just having a hard time trying to process everything. I'd never ask you for the ring back and I don't necessarily want to break off our engagement officially, but right now I don't know where there is for us to go." I knew this wouldn't go well, but I couldn't just sit here and pretend that we were alright. We are far from alright and as much as I want her to have confidence that I'll always be there for her, I'm still hurt.

"Dante, please don't. I know it took a lot for you to come here and tell me that we'll try to find a way to work it out, but I honestly can't think of any other alternative. You're back, you came back to town to see me and I have to believe that is at least a step in the right direction. I'm pregnant, ME! I'm going to have a baby and whether or not this baby has your DNA, I still would love to raise it with you." She said this so matter of fact, that I almost nodded my head in approval just like she was telling me what she wanted for dinner or something.

What the hell what I supposed to do? Was I supposed to sit there and say that no matter what, I'll be there to raise this baby? That it didn't matter if her one night of betrayal ended up in creating a life between her and Johnny because she's still mine and always will be? That's probably what I was supposed to say but I couldn't. I want this baby to be mine so damn bad that it physically hurts.

"How far along are you Lu?" I needed to know for sure. Maybe I could do the math and put my fears to rest.

"The doctor says I'm six weeks Dante, and before you freak out I know that I was together with Johnny six weeks ago but do you also remember the two nights before sonny's wedding that we were basically in bed all day? D, this child could totally be yours and I'm choosing to believe it is. The miracle inside me could be the result of us being passionately in love! Don't you want to witness him or her making their entrance into the world?" This was actually starting to piss me off. What was she doing sitting here trying to get me all emotionally connected to this child when we all pretty much knew that it was probably Johnny's kid.

"What about John, Lu? What's he supposed to do just wait around until the kid comes with shaggy hair and wearing gold chains until he knows for sure if it's his or not. This isn't fair, none of it is. It's not fair that you are sitting here talking about being a family, it isn't fair that I have to wait to get excited about this. All I want to do is kiss you and say that I'm so thrilled that we're going to be parents, but I can't do that. The fact of the matter is you are the one that is going to be a parent lulu, and I'm going to be the guy that loves his or her mother with all that he has and wants a family with her more than anything, but lost out on being a father by a week." I knew this might make her said but I needed to be honest.

"So why are you hear then? If you refuse to believe that this could be our happily ever after, why did you even come over here spouting to me that we'll be okay? I don't get it because to me, those words mean you're willing to put in the effort to see if we can make us work. Our love is real Dante, and it always has been. I know I screwed it all up but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to prove to you that I'm yours and only yours, for the rest of my life. Please just give me that chance." She said this with so much love in her eyes I couldn't resist anymore.

I placed my hands on her face and gently brought her lips to mine. I kissed her softly at first, and then it started to get heated. Her hands were intertwined with my hair and she was pulling me on top of her. As much as I knew we probably shouldn't, I wanted her so damn much.

Hovering above her, I stared deep into her eyes and told her that I loved her, and I would continue to love her as long as I was breathing. She must have liked them because next thing I knew we were making out like hormone driven teenagers. My hands were gliding under her shirt while she attacked my neck and then we heard it.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK…

I froze and sat up quickly like we were being caught it my mother's basement. I had a big feeling I knew who was behind the door and so did Lulu because she glanced at the clock and then rolled her eyes. I stood up and went to the door before Lu could even move from her spot on the couch.

"Well if it isn't my favorite mother loving', fiancé' banging, mobster!" I said with a grin on my face. I probably shouldn't have said that right in front of lulu but god it felt good. Johnny just stood there staring at me with an expression on his face like he was waiting for me to punch him.

"Uh, I was just coming to check on Lulu…She left the Haunted Star earlier than usual tonight so I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Sorry to interrupt." He started to back away and I just couldn't let him.

"No, no ... Don't leave yet Johnny boy we need to have a word." I put my arm around his shoulders and guided him into the living room and putting my lips closer to his ear than really necessary I whispered, "I appreciate that you were here for Lulu when I couldn't be, but please understand me when I say Lulu is the love MY life, not YOURS. She will not need you stopping by the check on her, or watch TV with her, or pain her fucking nails okay. I am here now and I don't intend on leaving her…ever! So why don't you just go see if my Ma needs any help making her latest casserole..." I eased away from him with a smirk on my face and look at Lulu. She's staring at us with her mouth hanging open like she can't believe what I just said to him.

"Dante look, I know I'm the last person you want to see but I do care about Lulu. I always will and if it ends up that this baby is mine, you will for sure see me around. You and I both know how it is to grow up without a great father around and I refuse to not be around my child just because it makes you uncomfortable. I'll leave you two to your night, but remember in eight weeks when Lulu has the amnio and it tells us the paternity…I WILL be around to find out the truth." Johnny wasn't trying to be an ass; he wasn't trying to challenge me for the love of my life's hand in marriage or anything like that. He was just stating the fact of our reality from here on out. If this baby is Johnny's, we'll somehow have to figure out how to exist as a Spencer, Falconeri, Zaccarah family and oh dear lord I hope that doesn't have to happen.

After Johnny left I joined Lulu back on the couch and put my arm around her shoulders, and we just sat there for the longest time holding each other. I told her that I was sorry if anything I said to Johnny upset her but the dude needed to realize that papa bear was home now and we don't need anything from him right now. All we need right now is to listen to each other, sort out our feelings and figure out how to continue loving each other day in and day out until we find out what kind of family dynamic our little love will have.

I look over to Lulu when she's about to fall asleep, and whisper in her ear, "I love you my baby, and I promise you…We'll raise this baby together. I've never given up hope and I never will. You are it for me Lu, and I'll be here no matter what." She smiled, put her head on my chest and closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when I put my hand on her stomach and reassured my sweet bambino that his or her papa will be here no matter what last name is on the birth certificate. "I love you my sweet bambino, sleep well." I never knew I'd feel something so strong for an unborn child that I didn't even know was mine or not, but sitting there holding both of them I knew for certain that these two beings were my whole life and I'd never let either of them go.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you everybody so much for all the reviews and comments!

Grace- Sorry I made you spit out your pepsi! Here's the next chapter, Enjoy Ladies!

Ch. 5

Lulu's POV

The first thought I had when I woke up this morning and looked to my side to see Dante asleep beside me was the fact that I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I have this incredible man that has come back to me and the life we started to plan together, before my mistake almost tore us apart.

It's been three weeks since Dante come back to the loft and reassured me that he was in this for the long haul. Even though we aren't back to the way we were before I cheated, I believe every day we get one step closer to everything we've ever wanted. There's still 5 weeks until I can have the amnio and find out for sure if this baby is Dante's or Johnny's, but in my heart this is every ounce a Falconeri.

Last night Dante and I were sitting on the couch just watching TV when he casually put his hand on my belly and started rubbing it. I was kind of shocked because before this he only touched my stomach when we thought I was asleep, like he's afraid of me knowing that he's developed feelings for my child. Every time he does this I fall more and more in love with the man. So after I felt his hand there I looked up and told him that I loved him and then I wanted to know what he was thinking about our wedding. Should we still have it? Has he given up the idea of being my husband or do we just need more time to get back to where we were before we decide about our future.

"Baby, I don't ever want you to think that I don't want to marry you, because I do. I just think we need to wait and see what happens with the baby before we decide to go through with anything more." He said this with so much sincerity that I almost couldn't get mad…ALMOST.

"Are you kidding me right now Dante! Are you saying that if this baby isn't yours then we can't get married? I don't understand, you say that you love me and that you'll always be here for me and now you say we can't start to plan our wedding because you don't know if you're the father of my child? Well let me help you out, YOU ARE THE FATHER of my child. I don't care if the doctor says different; I don't care what my baby's blood type is…I want you to be this child's father." I was a bit hysterical at this point and he was actually pretty amazing. Instead of letting me get all bent out of shape, he casually spread out across the couch until he was lying down, using my belly as a pillow and started to place sweet kisses on my swollen stomach. He told me that he was sorry to upset me but all he meant was that he didn't want me to be stressing out about planning a wedding when he knew I was already stressed about the amnio and that wouldn't be good for the baby.

Like I said, Dante is an incredible guy and I'm the luckiest girl the world. During this conversation we decided that we'd start planning the wedding after the test results came back. I have to admit that I'm still scared to death. I know that he loves me but I just don't know what I would do if all of it started to scare him and he bailed. Dante is the one that I want teaching my baby how to walk, and talk. He's the one that I imagine teaching our son how to ride a bike and laughing at me when I try to teach our daughter the importance of wearing a bra in middle school. All of it, I imagine with him.

Last night's drama was totally a turning point for us. The last few weeks have been good but just seemed a little forced. He moved back in and we've been eating together and hanging out after work but we haven't had the same passion as we used to have. It's like he's afraid to touch me, like my baby will reach out and grab him or something. But every night when we're lying in bed I feel him reach over and wrap his arms around me, hold me close and rub the belly. He always starts whispering so low that I can't understand what he's saying but I'm almost positive that he's talking to the baby. Dante loves this baby and I'm so excited for the day that he admits it to me. When he turned over and started kissing my belly to calm me down when we were on the couch, it meant so much to me.

We still haven't had sex since we got back together but I can't blame him for not wanting to. That will probably be the hardest thing for him to overcome about this whole ordeal. I was his, and I was in bed with another man doing things that I'm only supposed to do with him. The fact that Dante allows me to be in our bed with him every night at all is more than I expected. However, lying in bed every night when we're ready to get some rest from yet another emotionally taxing day, his arms wrapped around me just lets me know that everything will be okay. Each day that passes is one closer to finding out the truth.

"Good Morning Beautiful." I hear when I turned my head to face him.

"Good morning my love, you slept good last night, even snored a little." I tell him while laughing.

He grabs me around the middle and scoots me towards him. I cannot describe how amazing it feels when our lips touch. Lying there in our bed with our lips moving together in a synchronized dance, I cannot get enough of him. I take my hands and pin his down above his head and move to straddle his middle. I can feel that he wants me too, but I also know that I can't be the one to make us move beyond this point. I stare at him and don't say a word, we don't need to. Our eyes are having their own conversations with each other, filled with such an intense love.

"I just want to say thank you, Dante. Thank you so much for being the incredible, sexy, caring and beautiful person you are inside and out. Thank you for agreeing to be my husband even after everything that's happened. I can't imagine my life without you being the most important thing in it." I say while still pinning his arms up above.

He suddenly moves out of my grasp and starts to tickle my thighs, causing me to squirm and move off of him. He smiled and grabbed my hands and made them lay on his heart and said "There is nothing in this world that would keep me from you, ever. You are wrong about one thing though baby. I won't be the most important thing in your life anymore, our baby will be. I promise to you that I will be the one here for you, no matter if we're married yet or not. I love you Leslie Lu and I always will. Every day that goes by and I see your stomach getting slightly bigger, I am starting to get so excited for this little one to make its entrance and join our family." Dear lord, how can this man be for real?

I know it'll probably take more time for Dante to be ready to make me his physically again, but I am so excited for that day to come. I'd never push him until he's ready because I'd be afraid it would set him back and he'd realize that he hasn't really forgiven me or something. We've come too far in our road back to our normalcy to risk him wanting to retreat, but when he's ready for me I will for sure rock his world.

I do feel bad for Johnny though, he's been so amazing since everything happened. Those first few days after Dante got back were rough for us all. I wanted to be with Dante every minute of every day; I didn't even care about going back to work. Since Johnny bought the Haunted Star when Tracy put it up for sale, he was technically my boss but he didn't even make me come in. He said that he totally understood if I wanted to take a few days to spend time with Dante and try to figure everything out. It's almost weird how supportive he's being of mine and Dante's relationship. I'm thinking maybe he just wants to get along with us just in case this baby is his, so we can all be a part of the baby's life without any added stress. Dante on the other hand thinks Johnny is up to something, and he says he really hopes he's wrong because he would really hate to have to kick his mom's boyfriend's ass. I hope Dante is wrong too, because if Johnny turns out to be the father and he's already trying to scam us he's going to wish it were Dante kickin' his butt instead of me!

So apart of worrying a little about what Johnny is up to, Dante and I are doing better than expected right now. I have five weeks until we find out if it's time to start planning a wedding, or time to get some major therapy and find out how to make us work. Every day I get more confident in Dante and our relationship and I have no doubt that he'll make an amazing daddy or "papa" as he says. Whenever I hear him talk to his bambino it's always papa that he says loves it. I think I'm really going to love getting to know all about how the Italians spoil their babies and babies' mommas with all the extra love, attention and tasty dishes!


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you all so much for the reviews. You are all amazing and give me inspiration! Now, this chapter is extremely long and you may want to get some tissues ready..

Ch. 6

Dante's POV

"Are you worried about getting the test results babe?" Lulu asked me while we were lying in each other's arms in our bed. As usual I didn't know how to answer that. Of course I was worried about getting the results, of all the tests I've taken in my life this is one that I wanted to pass.

"To be honest with you, yeah I am Lu. I know I already love this baby and I promise to raise it with you no matter what, but I can't help but be nervous that it won't be mine." I tried to be completely truthful with her without hurting her feelings.

I know these last five weeks have been extremely tough on her. We've been going about our lives, almost like we were trying to forget the affair ever happened. We've seen my ma and John a few times together and even had dinner at my ma's house a few days ago. Everything turned out fine but it was all completely forced pleasantries, knowing that both John and I were just doing this to make both our women happy. My ma thought it was best to develop some sort of almost friendship with each other so if it comes out that John's the dad, then we can all vow to raise this baby in a non-hostile environment. So that right there tells me that even my ma thinks my baby is really a Zacchara.

"Dante, I know you have every right to be worried," She sat up and faced me so we were directly eye to eye. "But I know in my heart this little person that's growing inside me is yours. I love you more than I could've ever imagined loving someone and I'm going to make sure I do everything in my power to make you believe that. Once we get these results today, then we can start planning our wedding and I'll get to be the happiest woman in the world when I become Mrs. Dante Falconeri." She kisses my lips and starts to move off the bed.

I grab her hand so she couldn't leave the bed and told her that I loved her too, but that's the thing. It's not in her power now; the only thing that was in her power was to use protection when she cheating on me and she didn't do that. Now we're sitting here almost like sitting ducks just waiting to hear about our fate.

Today was a big day and I didn't want to start off arguing with the light of my life so I just told her we would figure it all out when we knew the facts. I got out of bed, got dressed and went to the kitchen to make her some breakfast. Despite everything going on in our heads everyday about this pregnancy, she was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. She is definitely one of those pregnant women that just has a giant belly and the rest of her is like her normal body. I've turned into her food police, making sure she stays well-nourished and it is driving her crazy. All she wanted to eat was the bacon cheeseburgers and cheese fries from Kelly's and instead I would make her have lots of fruit, vegetables and good proteins.

While I was making l her some eggs and bacon the phone rang to tell us Dr. Lee had the results ready and we were supposed to meet her, Johnny and my ma at the hospital in thirty minutes.

I go into the bedroom and find Lulu sitting on the bed crying.

"Baby, what's goin on? What's wrong? You were totally fine a minute ago, what's going on?" I say as I sit beside her and rub my arm up and down her back.

"I'm so scared Dante! I've been keeping busy with work and spending time with you so I didn't have to realize that my life could very easily be changing in an instant and now that moment is here. I want you to be the father so bad I can taste it and what if it doesn't happen? What if the universe, or god or whoever wants to punish me for cheating on you by making Johnny the father? I don't know what I would do if I lost you, and I know you say that I wouldn't lose you but oh my gosh, Dante I'm so scared. Please don't leave me, please just stick around so we can have an amazing life together, please…" She was sobbing so hard that I didn't know what to do. I love her so much and hate seeing her in so much anguish.

"Baby, calm down it's going to be okay. I know this is hard, but you need to calm down because this can't be good for the baby. I do love you Lulu, and as scared as I am right now, I know that whatever happens with us I am completely certain that I'll love you for the rest of my life. Come on baby, let's just eat some breakfast and go to the hospital and then we'll take it from there." I tried to be reassuring without saying something that I would want to eat later. I do love her and I know that someday, somehow we'll figure this all out, but I know in the back of my mind that if we go find out the result right now and I'm not the father I may freak out.

After Lulu called my ma and told them to meet us there, we got in the car and headed there ourselves. Even though the paternity test is our main concern of the amnio, we also get to learn the sex of the baby. This is exciting for me because we get to know if it's a little boy that I'll be brainwashing into loving the Yankees, or a little girl that Lulu will be teaching the ins and outs of couture clothing from behind the bar of the Haunted Star. This was a big day and I just hope it all turns out the way we want it to.

_Flashback: Two Days Earlier_

_As I am waiting in the room to be called back, my palms begin to sweat. It was time for me to give my DNA sample for the paternity test. John had already come in a few hours ago and did his and I'm hoping that I'm not sitting here for nothing. If John's was a match for the baby then I really don't even have a point of being here. The absolute love of my life got a procedure done today to test if the baby had any diseases or syndromes that weren't normal to have, and this same procedure will tell me if I'm having a child or just get to be the guy that's in love with their momma. The awesome part was we got to find out if it's a boy or a girl, even though we could've found out at the last appointment, we decided if we wait until this day then we'd have a silver lining to the results._

_They call me back and I go into this little room, as I sit there while they get my DNA to be tested, I just want to cry. I actually wish Lulu would've come with me because then I could try to distract myself somehow. She wanted to come but I didn't think I wanted her here for this, but I guess I was wrong. Now all I want is for her to wrap her arms around me and say that everything will be okay._

_End Flashback_

We walk onto the fourth floor of the hospital, check in with Epiphany and sit down to wait. My ma and John are already there and smile when they see us. I'm pretty much in a fog and just sit there holding Lulu's hand, trying to give her some strength to get through these next few minutes.

Dr. Lee comes out of the door and tells us she's ready for us so all four of us walk back into her office. Lulu and I sit down in the chairs with the other two standing behind us; I guess I figured that I should sit down with Lulu because it's our child that we're waiting to hear about.

"Okay, well the Amniocentesis was a success Lulu." Dr. Lee started to explain to us that they baby is perfectly healthy. No down syndrome, it's as big as it's supposed to be and everything like that. "And in the matter of paternity, as you know Lulu we've taken samples from both Dante and Johnny and I can tell you that the match of the DNA says that ….. John Zacchara IS the baby's father." Are you kidding me? I just sat there, didn't want to look at anyone, didn't want to feel what I was feeling. I heard John and my Mom doing some sort of celebration behind me and gave each other a hug, and I just needed to get the hell out.

"Thank you Dr. Lee, I have to go now." I didn't make eye contact with Lulu, although I know I should've. I know she's hurting right now too because she wanted this baby to be mine as much as I did. I think in her mind it was her way of trying to apologize about the affair again, if the baby was mine then we could move on.

"DANTE!" I hear her scream when I shut the door to Dr. Lee's office.

I can't handle it right now, I needed some air. I take my phone out of my pocket and sent a text message to my ma, asking her to make sure Lulu gets home safe. I had to get out of there because I really didn't want to lash out at Lulu. Yes, she messed up and slept with Johnny but I didn't want to throw that in her face again and if I looked at her right now, that might happen.

The baby wasn't mine, the small creature that I talked to every night and told them that I loved them so much and that I'd do anything for wasn't mine. How the hell am I going to deal with Lulu having John's kid? I know I sound totally rude right now because I HAVE been reassuring Lulu that I don't care and that I'll be there for her and I'm sure that I will be because I know I can't lose her. I know that I can't go home, pack my stuff and leave her life forever. I know that. However right now I just need some time to figure out my next move and by next move I mean what am I supposed to say to her? Am I supposed to look into those incredible eyes and say that it's okay that John is the father? It's not okay, it's not okay that he gets to be excited to see his own flesh and blood come out of lulu and try to figure out if it looks more like a Zacchara or a Spencer. There will be no Falconeri blood flowing through the veins of Lulu's child and that's not okay.

I got home and the first thing I wanted to do was start drinking, but I knew I was going to have a big conversation when Lu got home and I should probably be sober. So the next thing I wanted to do was take a shower because somehow this whole ordeal had me feeling dirty. My fiancé is having a baby with another man and that makes me feel like I need to take her favorite loofa and scrub the damn smell of the hospital off of my skin.

After my long hot shower, I sat and the bed and waited for her to get home. I was half expecting her to come home the second I left, but I should've known that she wouldn't make it that simple. It had been six hours since I left the hospital and I'm still sitting here on the bed and haven't moved a muscle. I'm trying to think of what I'll say to her when she returns. I still have no idea what's going to come out of my mouth but I better figure it out soon.

I hear the door slam and can almost feel her shaking with uncontrollable sobs from across the loft. All I want to do is go over there and hug her, but for some reason I can't move off the bed.

"Dante, are you home?" She says while trying to catch her breath from crying. "I saw your car, so I know you're here, where are you?" She said starting to cry again.

I got off the bed and stood to look at her, she looked broken. Her face was puffy and stained with tears and she looked all ragged and distraught.

"I'm here Lu, but I don't really want to talk. I've been sitting here trying to figure out what to say to you, but haven't decided what to say yet. I need some time, please give me some time." I stare at her, begging her to understand without flipping out that I can't have a normal conversation right now, I need to figure out my next move.

"I understand" She says while breaking down again. She sits down on the couch hysterically crying and I can't just stand there and watch. I move over to her, sit down on the couch and put my arms around her.

"Shh... calm down baby. You know this isn't good for your baby and you need to think of that." I just wanted her to stop crying.

"MY BABY! So this is how it's going to be? You hug me and try to make me stop crying but it's not lets calm down for the baby anymore, no... It's lets calm down for YOUR baby!" She stands up and moves away from me.

I didn't know what to say, it was her baby. Hers and Johns and I had no claim to it at all. I know that I just hurt her and didn't mean to, I really don't want to hurt her at all so I think I have to leave. I casually stand up without answering or fighting with her and just go to the bedroom and start packing a bag.

"What the hell are you doing? You promised me Dante, you said you wouldn't leave me! WHAT are you DOING?" She is screaming at me and practically running to get to me before I shove my socks and underwear into my overnight bag.

"Lulu, I can't do this right now. I don't want to fight with you or make you cry harder than you are. I need some time to figure out what I'm feeling and I don't want to do or say the wrong thing to hurt your feelings." I try to explain to her why I need to leave, but she wasn't having it. She moved in front of me and grabbed my hands away from the bag I was packing.

"Please Dante, don't leave. I know you have to be going crazy in your head right now because so am I, but please stay. I love you and really don't know how I'll get through this night if you don't stay. Please baby, I know that I owe you some time and I'll give it to you but please for tonight can you just stay?" She is staggering to catch her breath and I know she's completely holding back even more of her emotions because if she wasn't, she'd be screaming at me and telling me she knew this is how I'd react.

"I don't know what to do Lu; I don't know what to say. You know that I love you, but you're having another man's child and I don't know how to deal with that. We can't just hug and hold each other to make everything okay because it's not. I don't want to get angry and yell at you because I know you're in pain too, so why won't you just give me some space and let me leave? You know that I'll come back, I love you and I hope you know that but I just need some time." I say as I'm holding her hand.

"I'll give you space, I'll sleep on the couch and won't bug you at all. I just need to take a shower and then you can pretend I'm not here, just stay here Dante. This is our home and you've told me that you'll always be here for me and tonight's the night to prove it." She says with a little bit less emotion this time. I can tell she would say or do just about anything right now to get me to stay.

"That's ridiculous Lulu… I'll sleep on the couch. You're pregnant and have trouble sleeping sometimes anyways so you need to be comfortable. Go take your shower, I'm gonna go to Kelly's and get us some food and I'll be back." I still need some fresh air and I know she can't turn down food, so this will let me breathe for a little bit.

When I get back with her cheeseburger, I get out a plate and bring her food to her in the bedroom.

"Thank you, aren't you going to eat?" She asked me, as if asking if I was going to sit with her and talk.

"No, I'm not hungry but knew you had to eat. I'm really just wiped out Lulu; I'm going to make the bed up on the couch and try to get some sleep. I promise we'll talk about it tomorrow but I just can't deal with it tonight." Trying to get some understanding from her, I stroked her arm with my hand and tried to walk away but she doesn't let me. She grabs my hand and brings it to her face, and kisses my palm. She starts to cry while she holds my hand to her lips and again I don't know what to do.

"Baby I love you so much, I'm so sorry that I've hurt you. I don't know how I'll ever make this up to you, but thank you for not leaving. I love you, I love you, I love you..." She started bawling harder each time she said that she loved me. I sat down on the bed and just held her. I know that all I want to do is go into the other room and create some space from her, but I can't do that. She needs me and after everything that happened today, I love her. She's the love of my life and the fact is; I'm in love with her child too.

"Come on Lu, you need to eat. I'll sit here with you or in the kitchen but you haven't eaten since breakfast and you need your strength. The baby needs to be fed Lu, come on lets go eat." I said, trying to calm her down yet again.

"I know you probably don't even care to know this right now and I don't blame you, but the baby is a boy…we're having a boy, Dante." She said as she was gazing into my eyes like we were the most in love couple on the earth.

The baby Lulu was carrying was a boy. A boy to teach how to play with trucks in the mud, a boy to take the Yankee's games and teach the finer points of baseball. The only question would be…who would be taking this little boy the games, his daddy or me?

**A/N: Okay, don't hate me! I know that most of you are completely angry right now but I have some awesome things in store for them! I knew that everyone wanted Dante to be the father but if he had been, the story in my head would be over already. I love LANTE and promise you this will be an awesome ride of a story. Please give it a chance, I wanted this to be different than all the other fics where Lulu and Dante have a baby and everyone is so happy. I want to show how they work together all as a family to raise this baby! **


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you for the comments ladies! I was actually surprised by the support I received for the last chapter! Sorry this one is a little short, but I wanted to get it up before my busy weekend starts! Enjoy!

Ch. 7

Lulu's POV

*_Italics mean dream sequence_

I don't know how long it has been since either one of us said anything but it feels like an eternity. I want to say something so badly but I can't think of a single sentence that makes sense. Lying on the couch in Dante's arms in the only place that I want to be for the rest of the night, but I know that can't happen. We need to talk about this and try to figure out where to go from here. I know he won't leave again because he's promised to stay, but I also know things will never be the same again. I'll just continue to lie here and wait for him to say something I guess.

"_No, no Johnny… I can't do this. I love Dante! I know that I told you I wanted this and I know that I pulled you back here but I can't do it." I see myself talking to Johnny like I'm begging for my life... What is going on? I don't get it…Is he going to let me out of the room? Is he smiling when I'm afraid and oh, oh no... There I go, passing out on the bed...with my clothes ON! What the hell? My clothes are on; I've had a few shots but not enough to get me to pass out cold without going home to Dante. What's Johnny doing now? That son of a bitch is taking my clothes off and posing my body…wha, what?_

"Ahh, wake up Lulu, wake up! You have to wake up and get out of there... GOOOO, go back to Dante!" I say out loud as I shot straight up off the couch and out of Dante's arms.

"Baby, what's wrong? It's okay, it was just a dream. You fell asleep, it's okay." He didn't understand what was going on but I had to tell him.

"Dante that was so flipping crazy. That dream, it wasn't just a dream…Dante, I never slept with Johnny!" I knew I sounded crazy, I know we just had to results read to us today that Johnny was my son's father but this was too realistic.

"Lulu, what the hell are you talking about? Yes you DID sleep with Johnny and why are talking about this, I really don't want to ever have to say that sentence ever again!" Dante was totally confused and I could tell he was getting angry but I had to make him see.

"Dante, listen to me. I just had a dream that I was in that room with Johnny and we were almost having sex but didn't. I couldn't go through with it Dante because of you. I told him to stop and that I couldn't do it and then I passed out on the bed…fully clothed!" Oh my gosh it totally just hit me, this baby can't be Johnny's. If I didn't have sex with him then he can't the father of my baby, maybe it is really Dante's.

"Lulu, I know that you didn't want this baby to be Johnny's but the fact of the matter is, this child you are having will be Johnny's son. I really don't think it's healthy or productive to focus on a dream that you think may be reality, just because you want it to be true. Lu, I get it… I do. We were making all these plans for the future and then we get these results and I flip out and now you are scared. But this, this dreaming that you didn't sleep with him and then telling me that it never happened, it won't help us." He was being so supportive and I didn't want that to change so maybe he's right, I guess I just want this to be true so bad I'm starting to dream it.

I sit back down on the couch with him and grab his hands while I stare intently into his eyes, "I love you, I really do. You are the one that I will love for the rest of my days. I never want to spend a day without you knowing that you are it for me. You are the one that I want to share my life with, and I know you aren't up for planning the wedding right now but I'm telling you that I WILL be your wife someday and I hope it's someday soon." I lean over and place a soft kiss to his lips. I heard a slight moan that escaped his mouth and it warmed me from the inside out. He loves me, even when he mind is telling him that he should place boundaries and step back a bit, his heart, soul and body can't refuse what affect I have on him.

"You will be my wife someday, and I will spend the rest of my existence trying to make you the happiest wife and mother there ever was, but until I get to where I deal with and accept the fact that you're having another man's baby our relationship will not be easy Lulu." He said almost nervous but he had absolutely no reason to be nervous for telling me how he feels at all.

"Dante, I appreciate that more than you can ever know. I have one question though… Do you really think you can ever accept that, or accept my baby for who he is? I think that's my worst fear, to have the man that I love more than life itself and my child that is a part of me, not have a good relationship. Do you think we can be a family?" I was completely afraid of his answer but I needed to know what I was up against, how hard do I need to play.

"Yes Lulu, we can be a family. It'll be a non-conventional and totally dysfunctional family, but we'll learn to live with it and after some time maybe even love it. We both know that John won't go away, he'll be here wanting to be a part of your son's life and I guess he has every right to want that. I just need to work on the feelings that I have every time I see him, because right now I'd love to meet him in a dark alley and make him scream and cry for his own daddy dearest. It's just gonna take some time, okay baby?" He says this as he pulls me close to him and kisses the side of my head. I know that I should correct him and say that he needs to be nice, but I really don't care. Dante can talk as much trash about Johnny as he was to because in my mind our little family is still going to be that; our little family.

I was going to tell him that I love him but a yawn snuck out mid thought. He stands up and pushes the some strands of my hair out of my face and behind my ear. "You need some rest baby, you've had a big day and our little boy needs to do some growing while you sleep." I couldn't believe he just said that and I sure as hell was not going to correct him. If Dante wants to refer to my baby as his, he can go ahead. "Go to bed Lu, If you don't mind I'd like to sleep out here on the couch tonight it just doesn't feel right to be in our bed right now…" I know I should expect this and not throw a fit like a three year old but it really surprised me. I totally felt like we were already closer tonight than we have been in a while so when he told me he wasn't coming to our bed I was a little stunned.

"I uh, well yeah I guess if that's what you want. I'll get you some blankets." I say sadly, even when I was actively trying to not mope about this it slipped out.

"Lulu, I would love nothing more than to take you to bed and make love to you. To show you that despite everything that has just happened to our relationship it will all work itself out, and although I do believe that partially I'm just not ready yet. I love you that I'm sure of. I love you so much that I'm willing to let you have the amazing sleep number bed we have in there and I'll take the lumpy sofa." He smiled his wicked grin and I can't help but to laugh.

"I get that Dante and I won't push you. I know you have to deal with this your own way and I'm willing to wait for you to give us another chance to be happy a little step at a time. I love you so much and I'm just happy that we've made it this far. I'm going to go to bed because you're right this day was left me exhausted." I move toward him and we share an emotional embrace which I thought would only last a second but it kept going. We stood there for what seemed to be like ten minutes at least just standing there enjoying having each other in our arms.

"I love you baby," he said as he leaned down and kissed me ever so sweetly. "You have a good sleep and no more crazy dreams okay." He smiled as I turned around and went to get ready for bed. This has been one crazy day and who knows what'll happen tomorrow but one thing I know for sure…We'll face it together, one step at a time.

**A/N Thank you for sticking with me! I promise I have a lot in store for these guys coming up, but it won't ALL be angst! **


	8. Chapter 8

Hey ladies! Sorry it took so long for an update, life is just crazy right now! Thank you so much for the comments and reviews, you guys are amazing!

Chapter 8

Dante's POV

I love Lulu…this is something I've been telling myself over and over for the past two hours. I've been trying to remind myself why in the hell I'm sitting around the dinner table with John, my Ma, and Lulu for the last while talking about the unborn child that my fiancé is carrying.

Part of me just wants to stand up and scream "IT'S FINE! We'll share custody, I'll love him like he's my own and we'll be one big fucking family, now get the hell out of my house!" Obviously I couldn't do that, so I'm just sitting here visualizing different ways I'd love to kick John's ass. I know that Lulu is part to blame for this situation we're in, but there is a bigger part of me that knows that something about that night doesn't add up. Was he as drunk as she was? Did he really undress her and make it look like they slept together when really they hadn't? I know Lulu swears that her dream she had means something, but I just don't see it. I really don't think John is smart enough to think of all of that and have the resources to make it all happen and for what? What would be the payoff of having everyone think he's the father of Lulu's child when he isn't? I just don't get it, and I refuse to spend the next twenty weeks hoping for a different outcome in the paternity case when the baby comes. I'd rather just accept things for what they are and try to be the best step-daddy this baby boy could ever dream of having.

"Dante, hello…earth to Dante, where were you just now?" Lulu asks me while John and my Ma wait for a response.

"I was sitting here dreaming of a time when I don't have to sit and have a dinner that I don't want to have with people that I don't really want to be around. Have you all forgotten that I've been betrayed by all three of you? Not just Lulu ya know, that's not the only relationship that has to be fixed. How about you Ma? Have you even had a conversation with me about how you have stuck by the man that almost ruined the best relationship I've ever had? Or how about when we found out John was the father and you had a little celebration while standing behind ME, while I was having my heart TORN OUT of my body knowing the child that should've been MINE is now HIS!" I totally didn't plan on flipping out on her but I couldn't help it, this was way overdue. I really didn't want to blow up, so I just stood up, excused myself and told Lulu I was going to get some air. I knew she'd be freaking out that I was angry and probably think I was getting worked up about her too, so I kissed the top of her head to show her some comfort and hoped she realized that I just couldn't be around John and my Ma anymore.

I know that I say that I'm happy for my ma and I am, she's been an amazing mother and has been alone for so long that she deserves happiness. It was the fact that this "true love" as she calls it, just happens to be with the man that I can't stand looking at right now. As much as I love her, I can't understand why she hasn't even asked how I'm feeling. She's supposed to worry about how I'm feeling when something this big happens, I'm her son.

"You look like you're deep in thought out here." My ma said as she approached me out by the docks.

"No offense ma, but I don't really think you're the one that should've followed me out here. I really don't have anything else to say to you." I tried to hold my tongue, as much as I'm disappointed in her she's still my ma and I need to show some respect.

"Dante, I'm sorry if you feel like I haven't been supporting you but honey I'm in a tough spot. The man that I love was excited to become a father and although it hurt a little knowing that I'm not the mother, I knew I had to stand by him if I want the future with him that I do." I can't believe she just said that. Who is this woman? My ma wouldn't put anyone before me, not ever.

"Do you hear yourself Ma? You are sitting there trying to justify you supporting a thug instead of your only son! I don't get it, and I really don't have to stay here and listen to this bullshit but I will promise you this. If I find out that John is doing ANYTHING to mess with MY FAMILY, and no…that doesn't mean you, if he's planning on doing anything to fuck up Lulu's life he'll wish he would've died one of the thousands of times he's been shot. You got that?" I walked up to my mother, kissed her on the cheek and decided right then and there that I won't be having the same relationship with her that we've just rebuilt after the sonny fiasco. My own mother just stood there and told me she picks John over me, and I know there's more to it than her just wanting a future with him. This fucker is up to something and I'm going to figure it out one way or another.

I walk back into the loft to see Lulu putting the dishes in the dishwasher and humming a song lightly to herself. God she's gorgeous. I'm head over heels in love with the most beautiful woman on this planet.

"Here baby let me get those, why don't you go take a bath or something and relax." I say to her as I reach for the plate in her hand and put it in the dishwasher.

"Dante, why don't you stop trying to get me to forget what happened before you left. Where did that come from? You haven't mentioned anything to me about how you were feeling about your mom. I guess I should've realized that you would have problems with her standing by Johnny but I'm sorry that I didn't ask you how you were feeling about that." She could tell by the expression on my face that this conversation was going to be over real quick.

"Well it's over now, she's my mother and I love her but she just told me in a number of words that she's picking to support Johnny over me so I'm not going to worry about her right now. I just hope he's not fucking with her for some reason because even though I'm pissed at her, I'd really hate to have to kill the bastard." I say with a smirk on my face before I kiss her on the cheek.

Lulu pulled me closer to her and kissed me on the lips, which I wasn't expecting. Not that I didn't like it, I love her of course I like when she kisses me but we've decided to take the physical stuff slow until I work through the issues in my head.

"Any chance you'd want to join me in the tub Detective?" She asks in between soft kisses.

"Of course I want to; I've wanted to rip your clothes off for weeks I just know that I'm not totally ready yet. You go enjoy your bath and relax; I'm going to make up the couch." I said as I pull away from her and move towards the living room.

"Dante, this is just so damn stupid. This is your house, YOUR bed and YOU keep sleeping on the couch. If you won't let me sleep on the couch then I need to go get a room at the metro court or stay at wyndemere or something. It's not fair for you to be spending night after night at the couch while I'm the one that cheated on you!" Although she does have a point, I can't let her do that.

"Lulu, I love you baby. I don't want you to leave and it's really not a big deal that I'm sleeping on the couch." I walk back over to hear and look directly into her eyes. "I know that I want to get over all of this and sleeping in our bed together again is a big step. Hopefully I'll be able to do that soon, okay?" I ask her as I push a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Okay Falconeri, but you are going to wish you were lying in that bed when I come out here all sexy in my new nightgown and guess what? If you change your mind then and want to join me, too late sorry! I gave you the chance and you said no, so no funny business for you and that's too damn bad because these hormones and making me want you BAD!" God I missed this banter we used to do all the time. She's right though, I'm totally gonna want to climb into that bed with her when she's dripping wet, fresh out of the bath.

Although it may seem like it, I'm not holding out on being close physically to punish her. It's not even that I see him when I look at her body or envision his hands on her or anything. No, that's not it. It's more like in my head I visualize that last time we made love, the night before Sonny and Brenda's wedding and oh my god that night in bed was amazing. Now every time I think about being with her like that it's like that night is tainted because that was the last time we didn't have the ugly night hanging' over our heads.

There's also something else that has been bugging me about that night. When I first came back to Lulu and we were talking about her sleeping with Johnny, she mentioned the fact that my Ma and him had already made up. She said they got back together so quickly because they realized they never should've thought they could ever be apart. That's the part that confuses me because I had lunch with my Ma the day before and she was telling me that her and Johnny were so much in love, she was even thinking about moving into his obnoxiously decorated apartment with him. What I can't understand is how they can go from blissfully in love to "having problems for a long time" before Johnny and Lulu hooked up.

There are just too many things that don't add up and it's not just whether I still believe that I'm the father or not. It's that I'm pretty sure that he's planning something or has gotten away with something and it's really starting to piss me off. These two women mean the world to me and he better not be trying to hurt either one of them. If there's one thing I do well it's investigating, and you can be damn sure that I'll get to the bottom of this!


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

Lulu's POV

"Lulu, wake up! Baby, it's time to wake up." I hear him say.

"Five more minutes Dante and I promise I'll get up." I say to him while smiling and burying my face in the pillow. I know I have to get up but I really don't want to. As much as I know that Dante has needed his space these last few weeks, I miss him and any excuse I can make to get him near our bed I'll take.

I open my eyes and there he sat looking sexy as ever, god I love this man.

I sit up and wrap my arms around his neck pulling him towards me for a gentle good morning kiss. When he doesn't protest I kiss him with a little more passion and this time I don't give him the opportunity to get away, yanking him down on top of me. I sense him try to pull back so I pull a WWE move and flip us over so I'm on top straddling his waist.

"Wow, you are such a faker Lulu! Here I thought you were so sleepy and really it was a trap to get me where you want me!" Dante laughed while raking his hands up and down my back.

"Well this isn't exactly where I want you and I can feel it's not where you want to be either." I smile when I look down and see little Dante is excited to see me this morning too.

"Baby, stop. You know I'm not ready for this and we better get going to your appointment anyways." He says and he carefully moves me from him and starts to stand up.

"Relax Dante, it's not like I'm going to force myself on you. Is it a crime to want to be with my fiancé? To want to claim you as mine in every way possible? Dante I love you and I can't wait to be with you again in that way but you know I respect your needing time to want to be with me again. I just hope it happens soon, otherwise we'll have to try to find a spare minute in between feedings and diaper changes." I'm not real sure how he'll react to this statement because his feelings regarding the baby seem to be changing all the time.

Sometimes when we talk about me being pregnant or how far along I am, he gets excited and starts naming off fun things that our little boy and him will be doing but other times he gets this weird look on his face and changes the subject. I'm pretty sure that's when he remembers that this isn't our baby and it is in fact Johnny's.

"I don't think something silly like a diaper change will EVER stop me from being with you when we get started. Look, I'm sorry this is taking so long and I want to be with you...I really do. It's just that sometimes when I think I'm ready to ravish you I get this little voice inside of me that says that I wasn't the last man to make love to you and that really just pisses me off." I knew this was the problem, he doesn't forgive me yet. I knew it was a little too easy for him to all of a sudden be able to trust me again but he's just been going through the motions and pretending to be remotely okay with any of this.

"Well you know that I'm sorry and I can sit here and apologize 'til I'm blue in the face and you won't be ready to forgive me until you're ready. I'm done begging Dante. I get all judgmental and irritated at those girls that cry and beg their man's forgiveness and I won't do it. You know how I feel and that I'll always regret what happened and I think I'm able to sit here and say this because I AM certain that you love me. We're meant to be together Dante Angelo Falconeri and I really believe that. So you do what you need to do to get past this and I'll be here waiting for you with bells on!" I say as I kiss him on the cheek and go to the bathroom to get ready.

"Lulu, I really do love you and I promise that I'm not going anywhere. I meant what I said when I placed that ring on your finger, you are my world and I can't imagine life without you in it. But now there's a little part to add to that statement and that is the fact that now I can't imagine life without your son in it also. I love you baby!" He told me as I stood in the doorway of the bathroom with tears rolling down my face.

"You are such an amazing person my love and I can't wait to share a lifetime with you," I saw as I shut the door and jump in the shower.

I can't believe this is the man that I get to marry and start a life with. A lot of crazy things have happened in my lifetime but this has got to be the best thing ever. I am so lucky that we found each other and although I wish things would've gone in a different direction with us sometimes, I do believe that we'll be alright. We love each other and he just stood there and said that he can't imagine his life without me OR the baby in it so I now know for sure that this man is mine forever.

I get done blow drying my hair, walk into the bedroom and notice that Dante is gone. A twinge of sadness hits me because I realize that he's not there to go with me to the appointment. Although this is just a checkup and we don't get to see the baby or anything, I still wanted him there.

I walk to the kitchen and see the note and a red rose sitting on the table. "I have a meeting with Mac but I'll meet you at the hospital at 11. I love you baby, Dante." Okay that makes me feel better. Right then I realize that I told Olivia I would go to coffee with her this morning before my check up, so I rush around finishing to get ready and I'm out the door in ten minutes.

As I walk up to Johnny's apartment door to pick up Olivia, I hear them arguing. I wasn't going to be nosy and listen to them until I heard Dante's name.

"What are you talking about you want to tell Dante what's going on? Olivia, you know that's not going to work. That was NOT part of the plan and you know what could happen if he found out how Lulu really got pregnant. I AM this baby's father and whether everyone likes it or not, it IS going to stay that way." He scolded her.

Oh my gosh, what's going on. Why are they talking about my baby's paternity? Maybe my dream really DID mean something. Maybe the way Dante has been looking at Johnny for the last three weeks does mean something. What's going on?

"John, you know that I agreed to go along with everything because I love you and I love my son. I know that we have to do this to keep both Dante and Lulu safe. I would never dream of ruining everything and making that bastard think we have deceived him because then everything would blow up and EVERYONE we love would suffer, especially that precious baby that Lulu is carrying. I just think if we explained everything to them and gave them time to wrap their heads around everything, then maybe we could all become a team and work together." She was almost crying at this point and I couldn't stand them talking about us anymore, I had to know.

I opened the door and stared at Johnny directly in the eyes.

"What the hell is going on and who are you protecting us from? I'm not leaving here until you tell me why the hell you are talking about my family like we're in danger?" I am livid and screaming in Johnny's face.

"Lulu, listen to me." Johnny starts. "You know that I care about you and I always will. There is a whole lot going on here and I just can't explain it all right now. The only thing you need to know is that I will always do anything and everything to protect you and our child." I have no idea what he's talking about and it's pissing me off so I let him have it.

"Johnny I have news for you. It's not YOUR job to protect us, it's Dante's! HE is the love of my life and has agreed to help me raise this baby so if you don't tell me what the fuck is going on right now I swear I will leave town and you'll never get to meet your son!" I know that was wrong but I couldn't help it.

"Okay, okay... just calm down for the baby's sake will you. We'll tell you what's going on or as much as you need to know right now but you have to promise not to tell Dante." Yeah right, like that was ever going to happen. I looked at him with a bewildered look on my face and told him I wouldn't tell Dante.

"I'm serious Lulu, if Dante finds out what's going on and tries to fix it himself we could all end up dead." He stares at me coldly while he tells me to lie to the one person I'm supposed to be honest with always.

"I promise Johnny, just tell me why my fiancé and unborn child are in danger."

What I heard come out of his lips, I never would've imagined and I have no idea how we're going to fix this situation. All i know is that I have to find a way to tell Dante and have him promise me that he won't do anything because if he finds out from anyone else that I'm lying to him, I'll lose him forever.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, I didn't plan to update this so quick but I've been threatened! Lol! Thanks again for all the reviews and comments, you guys are amazing and make it fun to write! This chapter is kind of dark and has mature themes and concepts so be prepared. Thank you all!

Ch. 10

Dante's POV

This morning had started off pretty well with Lulu attacking me in our bed and I'd be lying if I said that didn't totally rock. I just wish I was ready to go beyond that, to claim her body as mine once again. Every time I get close to thinking that I'm over everything that happened and just accept that John Zacchara will be a part of our lives forever because of the baby, I get a feeling that he's hiding something.

While Lulu was in the shower I got a call from Mac saying that the private investigator I hired was at the station waiting for me. I guess he's not too private if he's showing up in public, so we needed to have a word about that. I ran downstairs to the flower vendor on the sidewalk, grabbed a rose and came back upstairs to leave it for Lulu along with a note saying I'd meet her at the hospital. I know this baby isn't mine and I'm getting better about accepting that and part of that means being there for Lulu, every step of the way. Every doctor's appointment, every craving and certainly every time she feels the baby move I want to be there.

When I got the station I led the investigator into one of the interrogation rooms and the first thing he did was smile and fling a manila folder on the table.

"I believe this is what you've been looking for Detective." He said with such arrogance that I wanted to punch him, but decided to save my punches for the one that really deserved it.

I opened the folder and the first thing I see was his name. Are you kidding me? What nice work this guy has done, I'm the one that told him to look into John Zacchara and see if anything adds up with him being near the hospital when the DNA tests were done, what he was doing the night of the affair before he saw Lulu, and anything odd between those two dates and this is what he gives me?

"Um, sir...This doesn't make any sense. I told you to look up a bunch of things and what you bring to me is a purchase a drug store for antibiotics, a bar receipt for Jake's and a black and white grainy picture of John and my mom from last week. This stuff isn't private investigator worthy." I say to him like he's a three year old. Although what he says next has me floored.

"Look closer Detective Falconeri, the prescription is supposed to be for antibiotics but if you look at this picture that I had blown up and read the words on the bottle it's for Rohypnol." I can't believe what he's telling me, Johnny got a prescription for the date rape drug. How the hell does someone do that?

That's all I can handle hearing before I threw the folder down and slammed the door behind me as I rushed out of the PCPD and on my way to that fucker's house. He's gotten away with too much and he will NOT touch Lulu or my mother ever again.

When I get to Johnny's apartment and start to walk up the door I hear three voices, his of course and then not only my mother's but Lulu's too.

"Oh Johnny what are we going to do about this? You're right I can't tell Dante any of this because I know he'll try to play hero and end up in trouble or even worse. What the hell do I tell him when he asks what's got me so upset? He knows me so well, he'll be able to tell something's off." Lulu is almost in tears when asking him this.

"Come here Lu, it's gonna be okay." I'm thinking at this point John might be hugging her because the sounds of her breathing got muffled and oh my god how I just want to run in there and kill him.

"So Lulu," I hear my Ma's voice say. "Are we on the same page here when we say Dante can't know why you got pregnant?" I can't fucking believe my mom is in on this.

I couldn't handle it any longer; I opened the door and started screaming.

"You know what? Fuck you all! I CANNOT believe you are all here plotting a way to keep me in the dark about something that sounds super important! And YOU Lulu, what the hell are you doing here and WHY are you in the arms of a man that you swore to me that you are just friends with?" I went to Lulu and looked her straight in the eyes. "What happened to never telling me a lie again, huh? You can all go to hell and do me a favor Lulu, DON'T come home!" I really didn't want to blow up at her because right now I'm so pissed off at John that I can hardly breathe.

"Oh yeah, I almost left without doing what I came here for," I say as I walk up to John and slugged him right in the eye putting all my weight behind it. "That's for using the date rape drug on my fiancé you son of a bitch!" I spat at him while walking out the door.

"DANTE! WAIT!" I hear Lulu screaming. I could feel her running to catch up with me and I knew there were stairs coming and as pissed off as I am right now, I couldn't risk her falling down them.

"What do you want Lu? I am so pissed off at you right now I have no idea what will come flying out of my mouth, so please let me leave you without saying something I could regret!" I say to a distraught Lulu.

"I understand you are angry right now but you need to know that I wasn't going to lie to you. Your mom and Johnny said there was something important going on and they wouldn't tell me what it was until I promised to not tell you, so I told them I wouldn't. I wasn't going to keep this from you. It has to do with your safety too, just hear me out and then if you want to kick me out of our home then I'll let you." She said as tears were streaming down her face.

"Lulu, does the fact that I just revealed that Johnny raped you have any effect on you at all, or are you just blinded my both of them trying to 'help' us that you don't care. He RAPED you Lulu. The mother fucker saw you getting drunk and starting on the path of self-destruction that night and put a roofie in your drink. He had sex with you while you weren't awake and now you're pregnant with his child and you are just excited that he says he's going to protect us. Well I'm sorry, that's fucked up and I'm not going to sit here and listen." I say as a tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.

"Well I thought your punch was a good start for getting him back for that part. Look, Johnny explained that his father Anthony has been threatening your mother's life for a while now and they said the only way she would be left alone was if Johnny gave him an heir for the organization. Of course Johnny didn't want to do that and had been fighting his dad off of Olivia for a while until he was given a deadline." Lulu was trying to catch her breath but I could tell that she was trying to get this out as fast as she could. "Before you came storming into the room Johnny had just told me Anthony said that I was the one he wanted to have his son's child because it was his way of getting back at both my father and Sonny. He knows that I'm in love with you, and you being Sonny's son make it perfect revenge that he gets his heir and breaks your heart at the same time." She wasn't getting it though.

"Lulu! Open your damn eyes; this little sob story about how John only did what he had to do is bullshit! Do you not CARE that he had sex with you when you didn't consent to it?" I can't believe I am about to say this but, "Are you glad that Johnny did this and that he's the father? Cuz you're acting like he can do no wrong right now and you have NO IDEA how much that is killing me!"

"Dante! Don't you even say that okay? You KNOW that I wanted you to be the father and yes this is tearing me apart to know that if I had just been a normal person and yelled at you when I was mad that night then maybe all of this could've been avoided. But that isn't what happened. Am I pissed at Johnny? Yes! Will I ever trust him again? No, but right now I think we all need to talk about this and figure out a way to keep Anthony away from us. Please Dante, let's do this together and beat this bastard at his own game." She asked with so much certainty that I actually start to believe that it was possible.

"Lu, I believe that you weren't going to lie to me and I apologize for getting so angry but I don't buy John's story about Anthony too much right now and I can't even stand to look at my mother so I'm leaving. If you want to talk about all of this then we can do it after the doctor's appointment but I swear to god I don't care that Johnny is the father, if he shows up at the hospital for your appointment I will kill him! He took advantage of you and he's fucking lucky that I don't call the station and report him right now so he just gave up the right to be an active part of this pregnancy! Do you understand?" I yell loud enough for John and my Ma to hear from behind the shut door.

"I understand Dante and to tell you the truth, I completely agree. Johnny will come nowhere near me for right now and we'll figure everything out later." She says as she wraps her arms around me and embraces me in a sweet hug.

As I'm hugging her it hits me, we can do this. Lulu and I can solve this whole situation our own way and we don't need John Zacchara and his obedient Olivia Falconeri to do it. The first part of my plan has to be done tonight and I'm thinking this might surprise Lulu a bit, but has to be done.

"Let's go baby, we have a date with our son and after we're done there we have a plane to catch. It's time we made our love official, Will you marry me tonight Lesley Lu Spencer?" I ask as I get down on one knee.

She starts crying once again but this time it's of happiness, maybe we're crazy to do this right now but I can't stand that punk having any hold over her and if she's my wife that's one less thing she has to worry about.

She yanks me up and kisses me with so much love that I feel it in my bones, and standing there in John's apartment hallway I become the happiest I've been in months. We're getting married tonight and nobody will stop us.

I love this woman more than life itself and I'll do anything to protect her. I don't care what my mother and John say, if Anthony Zacchara has a problem with Lulu or the baby that she's carrying then he can take it up with me.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry it's been so long guys! FCW was amazing and I've just moved back to AZ, so life is crazy BUT I HAD to update tonight, I've missed writing! THANK YOU for all the amazing comments and reviews.**

**NC-17 Enjoy **

**Ch.11**

**Lulu's POV**

I'm lying here in my husband's arms and I just can't believe it's true. I married my best friend, the love of my life…my Dante.

I still don't really know exactly what Dante's plan is, but when he asked me to marry him and it had to be last night, I was so excited.

I've spent the last twenty weeks of my life thinking I'd never fully get him back to the point of wanting to ever marry me again and now I'm his wife!

"Good Morning Mrs. Falconeri." He says with his eyes still closed and a huge grin on his face.

"Good Morning Husband!" I say as I lean against him and press my lips to his. It feels so incredible to be able to kiss him anytime I want without thinking he'll pull away. Although I know that he wanted us to get married right away because of his plan for the Zaccharas, it was still a giant step in accepting the situation that we're in.

I know Dante still thinks I'm not blaming Johnny enough for the date rape, but that's because I'm not sure it happened that way. Every case of date rape that I've ever heard the victim always blacks out and remembers nothing, but I remember it so how can it have been that way.

I remember taking those shots and pulling him to the backroom. I remember ripping his shirt off and making out with him until we both fell onto the bed. I also remember how awful I felt right before I fell asleep, knowing that I had just ruined every possible chance of having Dante in my life forever.

I'm still really confused to what really happened that night and I don't know if we'll ever really know. As much as I remember, there are holes in my memory and there seems to be just as many holes in the story that Johnny and Olivia were telling us about Anthony and his demands. I trust Dante completely and am very curious to what he is planning to do to keep us safe, but something tells me it won't be easy.

"I love you Dante Angelo Falconeri and I don't care if the only reason we got married was because of your plan, I'm going to make you the happiest man in the world for the rest of my life." I say to him while staring into his deep brown eyes.

"Baby, you know that I love you and I meant EVERY word in my vows last night. I do promise to be with you day in and day out through every phase of our lives together. I promise to stay faithful and true to the love that we share…always." As he says this he intertwines are fingers and brings my palm up to his lips and kisses it sweetly.

"Thank you for last night my love. Thank you for hearing me out when you were so pissed after finding me at Johnny's. Thank you for coming up with a plan to keep us safe and most of all, thank you for letting me fully back into your heart and becoming my husband." I say to him while closing my eyes and remembering the amazing intimate experience we had the night before.

_Flashback:_

"_Dante, you don't have to carry me over the threshold, I'm getting too heavy for that!" I squeal as he is basically running through the door of our hotel suite._

"_Of course I will carry you baby, you deserve it" He says as he puts me on the bed and moves to the side of it. He walks to the window and opens the curtains, showing the Eiffel Tower standing tall and beautiful._

_I knew he would make our runaway wedding night perfect and that's what he did. He had my mom waiting for us at the airport to greet me with a smile, and that was the best surprise he could've given me. I missed her so much and I don't even think I realized it until I was in her arms. She reached down and massaged my growing belly and congratulated us on our new adventure, as newlyweds and as parents. She was there to be our witness so no matter what else happens, we know that our wedding was perfect for the two of us._

"_Thank you for the best night of my life Dante." I say as I get on my knees and reach out to his hard chest and wrap my arms around his beauty. _

"_I will always do everything I can to make you happy Lu, and I hope tonight will prove that to you." He says as he kisses me long and hard._

_I pull him down on the bed with me and slowly start to deepen the kiss. It's been so long since we've been like this with each other and I don't want it to be over in ten minutes._

"_God lulu, you taste so freaking good, I've missed this so much" He growled into my ear as I'm lying on top of him. _

_I feel him unzipping my dress from the back and I'm so grateful that I opted to just wear a white little sundress that was comfortable with my belly because it's sure as hell easier to get off than a big dress with layers._

_I sit up and lift the dress above my head, exposing my naked chest and stomach and feel him kiss the belly with so much love it makes me tear up._

"_I love you my son, I love you so much and I'm going to be the best daddy ever." He says while peppering my belly button with soft kisses and rubbing his hands in circles._

"_Oh my god Dante, it totally turns me on when you talk to the baby... is that weird?" I say almost laughing at myself._

"_No lulu, I don't think that's weird, but I just really hope he can't feel anything yet." He says as he grabs me and pulls me down to kiss him._

_As we kiss I start to unbutton Dante's shirt and undo his belt. He rolls me to the side and cradles my head with one hand while trying to shimmy out of his pants with the other. _

"_Wow, you're good at that!" I say as I'm laughing and trying to keep our lips fused together at the same time. _

"_I have the most beautiful wife in the world; I can't wait another minute to be inside of her." He says while kissing my jawline and down my neck._

"_Dante, how are we going to do this? My belly is too big to do it the normal way and I really need to feel you right now." I turn my back to him and look over my shoulder._

"_You read my mind baby," He growled as he grabbed the side of my hip, raised up one of my legs a little and slid into me from behind._

"_Ahh, ooohh, Dante that feels amazing…oh baby fuck me... fuck me hard!" I start to moan almost immediately._

_He thrusts into me harder and harder and I start to lift my leg higher and in slightly different positions so he can go in deeper._

_He pulls out of me and tugs on my hips and starts to drag me to the foot of the bed, he stands behind me and sets a pillow there for me to rest my head on and in one swift motion starts to slam into me._

"_Don't stop, oh god Dante you rock my fucking world!" I can't even stand it anymore._

"_I love you so much Lesley Lu Falconeri, I'll never let you go." As he pushed into me so hard that I swear he hit my womb. _

_He reached around to my front and fondled my nipples while keeping up with his fast pace._

_I knew that he was close, I could feel him holding it in but I didn't want it to end, it felt so good. _

"_Are you close Lu? Baby, I don't want to finish without you." He reached down with his hand and started to rub my clit in slow circular motions._

"_Yes!"_

"_Oh baby, you're amazing"_

"_So close, oh so close!"_

"_Oh Lu!"_

"_Fuck Dante!"_

_I was the first to release into euphoria and he wasn't long after me. Neither of us moved from the position we were in, he laid his head on my lower back and started kissing and rubbing it._

"_That was amazing my husband!" I say as he pulled out and flipped me around so we were face to face._

"_I know that I made us wait for a long time Lu, but it was almost worth it to feel that damn good. I'm so happy you're my wife." He said as he leaned in for a sweet and gentle kiss._

_End of Flashback_

"Earth to Lulu, Where were you just now?" He asked while kissing my temple.

"Just remembering how amazing last night was." I say smiling at him.

"It was pretty freaking awesome wasn't it?" He started rubbing my arm and pulling me closer to him.

I am lying on his chest, stroking his tattoo when it hit me. We haven't even discussed his plan yet and we're sitting here in Paris pretending to be on a romantic honeymoon when in reality we have a crazy man after our unborn baby.

"Dante not that I haven't loved every minute here because I have, but what does running off to Paris to get married have to do with a plan to keep us safe from Anthony?" I ask while staring into his eyes.

"Well I knew that I wanted you to be my wife and to protect our relationship I had to have this part done before we start the crazy part of my plan. The Paris part was just because I knew we could use Sonny's jet to get the hell out of dodge for a while." He sat up and turned my body to face his completely and put his hand down to rest on our child. "Lulu, I love you and our son so much that I am willing to do anything to keep you safe and you know that right?"

"Of course I do, but why did you just get that look in your eyes like you're scared? What part of this plan are you dreading?" I was really trying to stay calm but his weariness was concerning.

"Okay, if Johnny IS telling the truth, then we need to stop Anthony from wanting to take this baby as his heir. If Johnny just made all of that up to make himself look better than we're going to find that out real soon because we're going to have to work together with him on this and as much as I HATE that, I think it'll be best." He said while stroking my face.

"Well I meant it when I said that I agree that Johnny should have nothing to do with this child, Dante. As much as I'm confused about what really happened that night, I know that Johnny is not a victim in all of this so let's do what you have planned but know that YOU will be this baby's father." I wanted him to believe this so much.

"I know that Lu, and thank you for this chance to help you raise this baby and when we have more children down the line I promise to not treat them any different than I will this one because I will love this little boy as if he were my own flesh and blood." As he said this my heart swelled with more love than I love ever thought possible.

"Okay husband, tell me what our first step is to operation safe baby." I say as I smile and take his hand in mine.

"First we go back to Port Charles and arrange to meet with Johnny and my mother. I hate that she has to be a part of this because I'm still so angry with her that I can't see straight, but if she's one of his targets she needs to be in on it." His eyes got filled with sorrow while talking about his mom. I think he still can't believe that she has chosen to stand by Johnny through all of this.

"So what do they have to help us with?" Curiosity filling every inch of my body.

"We have to get John to have another paternity test done and his father has to know that he's doing it. We'll act like I don't believe it's true and we'll stage a public fight like I think he switched the tests or something like that, but this time we get someone to switch the tests and have it read that I'm the father. That way, he won't want our baby and then we move onto phase two of making him stay away from us." I can tell that Dante is thinking this won't entirely work but it sounds good to me, so I smile nod and hug him tight.

"I love you so much, and I know that this will work. We just need to get Johnny and Olivia to get on board with it and see if the old bat will believe the new results. So what do we do? Have Johnny tell him that he DID switch the test at first to make his father believe the baby was his?" I ask as I'm trying really hard to not get confused about all of this. "One more question…Why did we have to get married to do this?"

"Yes that's exactly what we tell Johnny to say and as for us getting married. I had to prove to that son of a bitch that you are mine and only mine. When that baby comes to meet us, he'll come out a Falconeri even if he does have Zacchara blood running through his veins." He says as he leans down once more to leave a kiss on my expanding belly.

I know this won't be easy, but with the help of my amazing husband I know that we'll beat Anthony Zacchara at his own game!


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the delay guys, but I hope this makes you smile!**

**CH. 12**

**Dante's POV**

It's been two weeks since my plan to take down Anthony had started and I'm already wishing I hadn't come up with it at all.

When we got home from getting married in Paris, I had planned on telling John and my ma what was going on with us and what we had come up with to do, but that didn't happen. The second we got home Lulu got a call from John saying the Haunted Star needed her attention so clearly she had to go to work. What I didn't expect was to feel the jealousy that hit me. There was still something inside of me that knew that John was up to something, I know that I need to trust him for what I'm about to do but I just don't.

So many times over the last two weeks I've wanted to have a serious conversation with John about his intentions for my ma but mostly his intentions and agenda for my wife. I don't know exactly what he's letting himself think but that loser has another thing coming if he thinks I'm going to give up and let him ruin the life of the woman I love more than life itself. We finally told them our plan to have John and I both have the second paternity test done and fake the results to say that he's mine. Surprisingly they both thought it was a good idea so we got started on that right away. It's now been a week since the results came back that I am in fact the father. John had made an appointment with his father to confess that he switched the results last time because he didn't want to disappoint him when he knew he didn't actually sleep with Lulu. As happy as this should make me, that everyone can now think that I'm the dad it's actually had the opposite effect on me. I'm aching for that child to be mine, I want to hold him, love him and treat him like my own but I don't know if I'll really be able to do that when the time comes.

"Dante…where are you?" Lulu asked walking into our loft.

"I'm in the bedroom, baby. What are you doing home so early?" She had said that she'd be home from work late tonight but here it was only three o'clock and she was walking in with bags of groceries.

I walked toward her and grabbed the bags from her arms and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"John is coming over for dinner tonight so I thought I'd cut work short to make sure I had enough time to get the dinner perfect." She said as she was smiling.

"Are you kidding me Lulu?" I ask immediately becoming pissed off. She really didn't get it. She was all peppy and excited to have the man who raped her and got her pregnant on someone else's orders, over for dinner. "Lu, why is he coming over here? You know that we have to be careful with being seen with him. We're supposed to be hating him because of what he did to you, remember."

"I realize that we have to make it seem like we hate him, and you know that I'm still not happy with everything he's done but I don't see the harm in having him over for a dinner of appreciation." She's states with a twinkle in her eye. Why was she doing this? What the hell is going through her head that she can justify the reasons behind her actions lately. She's been stopping by his house every couple days to make sure they were okay, they've been going to lunch together at work, and she's been completely honest with me and told me every bit of their togetherness time without me having to ask. I just don't understand what the hell is going on. Am I losing my wife to John Zacchara?

I couldn't just sit there and watch her go crazy in the kitchen for a man that I despise and I know I shouldn't let it bother me because after all I'm the one that she's married to but I had to get out of there.

"Baby, I really don't like that you're choosing to do something that clearly bothers me. Instead of staying here and getting angry, I'm going to leave for a while." I say as I grab my jacket and open the door.

"Dante Angelo Falconeri, you will NOT leave this house. You are going to stay here and watch your beautiful pregnant wife cook this meal and you will help me if I ask for it." Did she really not care that it bugs me.

"Dante, have you even bothered to ask WHY I want to show John my appreciation or are you just going to continue to think awful things about me in that handsome head of yours?" She smiled as she walked towards me and grabs my hand in hers.

"I…I don't know Lu. The only thing we can ever thank him for is giving our son life, because as far as I'm concerned him helping us with Anthony is just payback that he owes us for this whole mess in the first place." I say as I stare into her eyes.

"For being a detective and a good one might I add, you really suck at trying to guess why your wife has been sneaking around on you." She says while smiling which of course confuses me again.

"Lulu quit these damn games and just tell me what's going on! Are you telling me that you've been cheating on me with him? Are you making fun of me for not wanting him around? What?" I am willing myself to not show much emotion but it's not working very well.

She puts her hands on my face and slowly places her lips on mine. "I love you and only you…forever. I've been spending some much time with Johnny because I've been trying to talk him into doing something for us that I feel that he owes us. I love my baby Dante, since the beginning I've loved this baby and I will forever be grateful to Johnny on some level because he is giving me a gift that I'll cherish the rest of my life. I know this kills you every time you are reminded that Johnny did this but baby, you are the one that will raise this little love with me. We'll teach him right from wrong, go to Yankees games as a family and teach him how to be a junior detective at age 5. You will be his daddy and I'll forever be grateful to you for agreeing to be that." She takes my hand and leads me to the couch.

We sit there in silence for a few minutes before I turn to her with tears in my eyes. "Lulu, what does that all mean? What is John doing for us now, what were you talking him into?"

"Johnny has agreed to give up all parental rights officially, so you can adopt our son as soon as he's born. You'll be on the birth certificate, you'll be the one with all the medical rights, and you'll be the only daddy that he'll ever know. That is, if that's still what you want." She looks at me with tears rolling down her cheeks and realizes that I have the same moisture on mine and reaches over and removes my tears with her fingers.

"Baby that's the best thing I've heard all day. I can't believe he's agreed to do that, what did you have to say to convince him of this?"

"Don't worry about it handsome, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is we're going to be the perfect family, just you, me and our baby boy. We'll be the newest addition to the crazy Falconeri clan and we'll have a blast together." She kisses me with so much love that I can feel it in my toes.

I put my hand behind her head to cradle it as our sweet kiss starts to heat up. I wipe my tongue across her lips asking permission to deepen the kiss. She grants me access quickly as she nestles her fingers in my hair to pull me closer.

I gently push her down to a laying position and hover over her while whispering words of love and kissing down her neck. I stop kissing her and stare at her growing stomach, knowing in eighteen weeks we'll have another life to worry about. I push her shirt up to her bust line and start kissing her belly.

"I love you little man, your daddy loves you so much and I can't wait to meet you. You're going to get so sick of me telling you how amazing you are, how awesome you are and how freaking you lucky you are to have a momma like you have." I just can't get enough of putting my face against her skin and breathing in deep like I'm sharing the same space with my son.

"He's pretty lucky to have daddy like you, my love. Now get up here and kiss me before I explode." She yanks me up to her face and kisses me hard. I reach down and slide my hand down her maternity pants and caress her stomach and slowly place my hand lower and lower until I reached my goal. I tease her entrance with my fingers for a few minutes while she starts to breathe faster just anticipating what I'm about to do to her.

"Dante, stop teasing me… please." She smiles while kissing me with all the need in the world.

I plunge my fingers in her warmth while I continue to make love to her mouth with my own. Adding another finger, I slide them in and out with a faster pace and Lulu starts to whimper.

"Ohh, that's it, right there. Dante... oh god, I'm close baby… please get inside of me. I need to feel you, please my love." She was begging for me to finish her off her favorite way. I retracted my fingers and as fast as I could slide off my gym shorts and boxer briefs and swiftly entered her.

There was no need to warm up; we both needed this so badly. After all the confusion and emotions were running high today we both needed a rough round of lovemaking. I flipped her around to where she was on all fours on the couch and I start slamming into her from behind. With every thrust she starts to yelp and moan harder.

"I love you"

"Ohhh God Lu, you feel so good"

"I'm close… aaahhh I'm so fucking close"

"Cum for me baby"

"Dante, harder….ohhh I'm gonna…"

"Let it go baby, I'm close too"

As her body tensed up and then totally relaxed after she released, I couldn't hold it anymore and I exploded into her. Her body started to milk me dry and I couldn't move.

I finally got enough energy to remove myself from her and we flipped over again to lying together on the couch. Both trying to catch our breaths and staring at each other with the most love and adoration ever thought of.

"I love you baby, so much." I say to her while starting into her amazing eyes.

"I love you more than anything in this world my husband and you better never think I'd EVER do anything as stupid as cheat on you… ever again okay!" She says as she kissed me on my forehead then said, "I'd really hate to have to kick your sexy ass."

Yep, I would've never thought I'd be excited to have John come over for dinner but in this moment I'm so pumped for him to come see what I have and what he will never be able to touch again.

Bring it on Zacchara, because I promise you…you'll lose!


End file.
